We're On A Pilgrimage
Psalm 63:1 (NASB) - Early Will I Seek Thee”
An aging wizened sheriff in a popular movie a couple of years back stood gazing out of a window near the film’s end. After spending several days in the storyline tracking down a psychopathic evil money-grubbing villain--he sadly commented, ‘ I always kind of thought that God would somehow kind of come into my life as I got older…but He never did.’ (I think it’s about the saddest line in that movie). His lamentation of a life lived rather cavalierly—just doing the pretty mundane things that we regular folks do-- reminded me of how common that character’s line of theological reasoning about God is—that is, until the Lord opens our spiritual eyes to see differently. After He graciously calls us out of our spiritually dead and lost condition into a personal intimate relationship with Him, He calls us to joyfully seek Him. The opposite stance, one chosen by too many professing Christians anyway, is to assume that following our spiritual new birth, what should be the ensuing path of growing in Christ will just happen by osmosis. Surely, He found us, (not the other way around), but then calls us to follow after Him—to be in daily lifelong pursuit of Him! We’re called to seek to please Him (Jn. 8:29), seek to grow up in Him, (2 Peter 3:18), seek to emulate Him in our chosen values, thought-patterns, or attitudes (Philippians 2:5), about every facet, event, and set of circumstances, good and bad, in this temporal earthly life.
We can purpose to make these things our daily goal at any point in the year and experience the promised joy connected with doing so ( Ps. 70:4); we needn’t wait until New Year’s Day. We needn’t grow discouraged when we slip up in our quest to be pleasing before Him. According to Hebrews 7:25, He ever lives to make intercession for us, so in that sense He still seeks after us, His precious blood-bought children. So rejoice in Christ Jesus as we step into this new year, and keep on seeking Him!
Prayer: Dear Father: I thank and praise You for the joyous privilege of being called to walk with You and to pursue You through this earthly pilgrimage. Help me as I seek to remain focused on growing in You; for in union with You there is joy, peace, and contentment that can be found in no other place or person in this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(by Sis. Denise Diggs)
An aging wizened sheriff in a popular movie a couple of years back stood gazing out of a window near the film’s end. After spending several days in the storyline tracking down a psychopathic evil money-grubbing villain--he sadly commented, ‘ I always kind of thought that God would somehow kind of come into my life as I got older…but He never did.’ (I think it’s about the saddest line in that movie). His lamentation of a life lived rather cavalierly—just doing the pretty mundane things that we regular folks do-- reminded me of how common that character’s line of theological reasoning about God is—that is, until the Lord opens our spiritual eyes to see differently. After He graciously calls us out of our spiritually dead and lost condition into a personal intimate relationship with Him, He calls us to joyfully seek Him. The opposite stance, one chosen by too many professing Christians anyway, is to assume that following our spiritual new birth, what should be the ensuing path of growing in Christ will just happen by osmosis. Surely, He found us, (not the other way around), but then calls us to follow after Him—to be in daily lifelong pursuit of Him! We’re called to seek to please Him (Jn. 8:29), seek to grow up in Him, (2 Peter 3:18), seek to emulate Him in our chosen values, thought-patterns, or attitudes (Philippians 2:5), about every facet, event, and set of circumstances, good and bad, in this temporal earthly life.
We can purpose to make these things our daily goal at any point in the year and experience the promised joy connected with doing so ( Ps. 70:4); we needn’t wait until New Year’s Day. We needn’t grow discouraged when we slip up in our quest to be pleasing before Him. According to Hebrews 7:25, He ever lives to make intercession for us, so in that sense He still seeks after us, His precious blood-bought children. So rejoice in Christ Jesus as we step into this new year, and keep on seeking Him!
Prayer: Dear Father: I thank and praise You for the joyous privilege of being called to walk with You and to pursue You through this earthly pilgrimage. Help me as I seek to remain focused on growing in You; for in union with You there is joy, peace, and contentment that can be found in no other place or person in this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(by Sis. Denise Diggs)
Archive
2024
January
Gratitude Mixed with Faith Should Equal ObedienceGrace Comes In God’s TimingGOD USES WHOM HE CHOOSESSeeing What God Sees to Get What God HasA Life Verse That Is Good for Every YearSeeing Things as God Sees ThemThree QuestionsDon’t Worry About the FutureForgiveness Is Our Daily CelebrationPeace When We Do RightGod’s True Children Certainly Should KnowRegret In Missed OpportunitiesThe Attitude of Delight Is RightMeditation Deprivation Is EvidentARE YOU A DISCIPLE OR JUST A CONVERT?An Anchored Soul Won’t QuitGod Wants to Be BelievedFinding God in Our PainI Must Be About God’s WordWhat the Wondrous Word of God Can Do in a Willing ServantSeeing Things God’s WayGetting Along for Jesus SakeMeditating Brings Us Success In The Christian LifeThe State of Mind That Pleases GodPraised By the RaisedHaving the Right Knowledge for Real FaithWhose Mind Do You Think With?All My Heart & All My WaysWise with the Lord’s TimeNo Shame About What God Has SaidPrayer Is A Conversation
February
DEEP ARMOR FOR THE STEEP CLIMBDressed in the Whole Armor of God for Spiritual WarfareGRAB THAT ARMORSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIn My Dressing Room (Putting on the Armor of God)Armored for Any WeatherTruth is Foundation for Our FaithA Work in Progress and A Mouth in TrainingREJECTION OF GOSSIP, SLANDER, LIES, AND DISCORD: THE PERFECTING OF 'FEBRUARY'THE DETESTABLESSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIf the Lord Hates It, We Should TooThe Offense Ward of the Sin HospitalSpilling the TeaWe are in ChristLet us Do BetterSpread Love, Not GossipSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLThe GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - FilledTHE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONTROLA Drunken SpiritLookin’ Like Our DaddyFermented or Fresh; How is Your Fruit?We Have it AllSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLJESUS’ LOVE MANDATEHIS Walk, Our Hopethe greatest gift of allTo Love Like Christ
March
LOVE x LOVELove is CommitmentSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor CockrellTHE HIGHEST DEBT OF LOVEPREVAILING IN LOVE, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROMISEReturn Your Love to METhe Loveless ChurchWhat Do You Want First: the Good News or the Bad News?POSITIVE FRICTION THAT MAKES US BETTERSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHis Love Versus My FearsJESUS LOVES YOUBe Surrendered to 'Love'Victory Over Fear: Life’s Small LessonsJesus, Our VictoryTRUST CHRIST, BANISH FEARSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHarmony and Discord Aren’t FriendsHOLY PARAMETERSBlinded by HateACT or REACTRESISTING ANGER AND HATE IN CONFLICTPeculiar PeopleSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellONWARD & UPWARDHow To Fall ForwardThe Front Windshield is Much Bigger than the Rearview MirrorONE THING TO DOLooking Back Will Have You SaltyGreat Cloud of WitnessesSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne Cockrell
2 Comments
Amen!
Amen!